Ten-year sentence for Fahy manslaughter

A 46-year-old man has been jailed for ten years for the manslaughter of Galway man Frank Fahy last year.

The sentence was passed by Mr Justice Paul Carney at the first sitting of the Central Criminal Court to be held in the new Courts of Criminal Justice Building at Parkgate Street in Dublin.

Patrick Doherty, a native of Glasgow with an address at Cloncoon West, Glenamaddy, Co Galway, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter by a jury at the Central Criminal Court in Galway on 29 July 2008.

His trial heard that he had been drinking in the same pub as the victim, his friend Gerald Costello and their girlfriends on the night of the killing.

At closing time he drove home to get a kitchen knife with an eight-inch blade and returned to where Mr Fahy and Mr Costello were waiting for a taxi home.

Mr Fahy was stabbed once and Gerald Costello suffered a number of stab wounds.

The victim's father John Joe Fahy drove them to hospital but Frank Fahy was pronounced dead a short time later. The trial in July heard that Doherty had claimed he was provoked by Mr Costello earlier in the night.

Mr Justice Paul Carney said the gravest and most aggravating factor was that the accused left the scene, went home and returned armed with a knife.

Mr Justice Carney said he would have regard to that highly aggravating factor and the devastating effect it had on the victim's family and not regard the element of provocation relied upon by the defence.

However, he said the fact that the defendant pleaded guilty to manslaughter - which was the offence on he was eventually convicted - and the fact that he was remorseful and took full responsibility for his actions was in his favour.

He sentenced him to ten years for manslaughter and four years for assault to run concurrently.

Afterwards Mr Fahy's family said they were happy with the sentence and said his death had had a terrible effect on their family.